FAME may be an elusive thing, but these days it seems talent is no longer a requisite.

FAME may be an elusive thing, but these days it seems talent is no longer a requisite. In recent years, reality television has produced a stream of celebrities who are famous for being excruciatingly ordinary rather than extraordinary, and who the public often take great delight in laughing at, rather than with.

But, far from disappearing into the woodwork with their tails between their legs, many appear to lap up their new status as a laughing stock and subject of sneering abuse.

Major Charles Ingram of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? fame has now proved he is prepared to make an even bigger fool of himself in order to capitalise on his public profile.

In the Christmas issue of Heat magazine, Ingram has dressed up as Justin Hawkins from head-banging hard rockers The Darkness by sporting a wig and a chest-baring purple skin-tight jumpsuit.

There's also what seems to be a purple devil's tail dangling between his legs, hinting that Major Charles knows he's a little bit naughty.

The magazine's editor Mark Frith said, "We tried to think of the most strait-laced person, who would be least comfortable dressed as Hawkins, and settled on Ingram."

Ingram is not the first celebrity to be famous for being infamous - and for some reason there's a healthy crop of Welsh wannabes among them. First there was Maureen Rees of Driving School, whose bad driving won her plenty of column inches.

Then there was Big Brother's Helen "Oh, my Gawd" Adams and Jade.

Rik Waller was a sort of anti-hero of Pop Idol as the public voted for him in spite of - or possibly because of - his size. And there's the Hamiltons.

Andy Evans, a showbiz psychologist and author of Fame: The Psychology of Stardom, says: "Our love of watching people being humiliated has been imported from Japan.

"Reality TV has discovered a whole load of characters and when producers discover someone who everyone can laugh at, they are delighted because it makes them money."

Julian Linley, deputy editor of Heat, says these people are targets because they don't have any obvious talents, but says the ridicule is unfair.

"People feel, 'Why should they be famous, I'm not.' But these people all inspire affection because they are charming and eccentric.

"They are entertaining. They are ordinary because you could find someone like them working in every bar, serving in every shop in the country. But not everyone has their charm.

"The only way people can protect themselves against it is to be self-aware and go along with the joke. Jade from Big Brother survived it and came out on top because she went along with it."

Linley agrees it is an attractive quality, and says it is the main factor that helps people stay famous.

"People love people who are self-deprecating. The things that British people find funny are people falling over, being less than perfect.

"Celebrities who don't pretend they are anything more than normal human beings will succeed for longer."

Some celebrities from other backgrounds also tread the fine line between being laughed at and with, such as Rolf Harris and Tony Blackburn.

However, Evans is keen to point out that they are different from those who were suddenly "discovered" because they became famous for their talents.

"There is a difference between humiliation and these borderline serious people. They can always go back to their careers, whether it's art or politics, and they have become famous because they are talented."

Evans says some of these celebrities take themselves seriously, others don't, but all like the attention.

"Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen and the Hamiltons appear to be aware that people laugh at them but are willing to go along with it."

Charles Ingram is running the Flora London Marathon 2004 for Sense, the National Deafblind and Rubella Charity. For more information and details on how to sponsor Charles, please visit www.justgiving.com/charlesingramMore pictures appear in the Christmas double-issue of heat magazine on sale from today